3 critical signs of cardiac arrest after Hulk Hogan’s death

Hulk Hogan has wrestled his last match — taken down not by a rival in the ring, but by one of America’s top killers: cardiac arrest.

News broke Thursday morning that the wrestling icon, born Terry Gene Bollea, had died after weeks of declining health.

“He was suffering from shortness of breath, got tired easily, had lost a lot of weight and was on oxygen as his life ebbed away at his mansion in Clearwater, Florida,” an insider alleged to the Daily Mail.

While Hogan, 71, may have built his legacy surviving body slams and steel cages, cardiac arrest proved to be one opponent even the handlebar-mustachioed marvel couldn’t overpower.

Globally, the condition claims more lives each year than colorectal cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, pneumonia, car crashes, the flu, HIV and house fires combined, according to the American Heart Association.

In the US alone, cardiac arrest kills more than 436,000 Americans every year — making it one of the nation’s deadliest health threats.

Here’s everything you need to know about this heart-stopping emergency and how to act before it’s too late.

What is cardiac arrest?

It’s a deadly medical emergency where the heart suddenly stops beating — or beats so erratically that it can’t pump blood at all, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

When that happens, oxygen stops flowing to the brain and vital organs. Within minutes, the body starts shutting down — and without immediate help, the chances of death are high.

Despite common confusion, cardiac arrest is not the same as a heart attack.

A heart attack is a circulation problem caused by a blocked artery that cuts off blood flow to the heart muscle.

Cardiac arrest, by contrast, is an electrical malfunction. The heart’s rhythm goes haywire, and the muscle flatlines.

Who’s at risk for cardiac arrest?

The most common cause of sudden cardiac arrest is an irregular heart rhythm called ventricular fibrillation, which keeps the heart from pumping blood effectively, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Certain heart conditions — like coronary artery disease, heart valve problems, and a history of heart attacks — can increase the risk of this dangerous rhythm. But cardiac arrest can also strike people with no known heart issues.

Other factors that may increase your chances include:

• Smoking or heavy alcohol/drug use
• High blood pressure or cholesterol
• Low potassium or magnesium levels
• Obesity
• Diabetes
• Sleep apnea
• Chronic kidney disease
• A sedentary lifestyle
• A family history of heart disease or cardiac arrest

While the risk of cardiac arrest increases with age, it can strike at any time — even in children. In fact, sudden cardiac arrests happen in about 1 in every 70 schools each year, often impacting young athletes.

Men generally face higher odds of cardiac arrest, but women’s risk rises after menopause.

Warning signs to watch for

“The typical signs of a cardiac arrest include abrupt loss of consciousness with eyes rolled back, seizure-like activity due to lack of oxygen flow to the brain, and irregular, labored or no breathing,” Dr. Irfan Asif, professor and chair of the Department of Family and Community Medicine University of Alabama at Birmingham, said in an interview. 

He added that someone suffering cardiac arrest may have a very weak pulse — or no pulse at all.

Other warning signs that can come before cardiac arrest include chest discomfort, shortness of breath, weakness and heart palpitations like a fast-beating, fluttering or pounding heart.

But here’s the kicker: Sometimes there are no warnings at all. That’s why knowing how to respond can mean the difference between life and death.

What should you do if someone goes into cardiac arrest?

“If you are experiencing a cardiac arrest, try to get to a place where you are not alone, or signal to someone you are in distress before you are incapacitated,” Dr. John Bozinovski, a cardiac surgeon at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, told HuffPost.

If you see someone collapse and suspect cardiac arrest, act fast.

First, check if they’re responsive by loudly asking, “Are you okay?” and gently shaking their shoulders. Look for a pulse and check if they’re breathing normally, according to the University of California, Davis.

If others are nearby, assign someone to call 911 and another to find an automated external defibrillator (AED), which can shock the heart back to rhythm. If you’re alone, call 911 yourself and put the phone on speaker.

For children, start CPR right away. For adults, get the AED quickly, as it’s usually a heart issue.

To perform CPR, lay the person on their back on a firm surface, tilt their head back to open the airway, and check for breathing. If they’re not breathing, begin chest compressions: place your hands, one on top of the other, in the center of the chest, pressing hard (about 2 inches deep for adults) at 100–120 compressions per minute.

Use the AED as soon as it arrives and follow its prompts. Alternate CPR and AED use until help arrives or the person wakes up.

Every minute without intervention after a cardiac arrest lowers survival chances by 10%. Yet fewer than half receive timely help, according to the American Red Cross.

While CPR or AED use can double or triple survival odds, studies show bystanders use an AED only 7% of the time and perform CPR 42% of the time when witnessing a public cardiac arrest.

Experts are urging everyone to learn CPR to boost those numbers.

“Everyone should take an in-person CPR course at least once, with a refresher every two to three years,” Dr. Eric Goralnick, associate professor of emergency medicine at Harvard Medical School, advised.

“You could save the life of a family member, friend, or even a stranger,” he added, noting that many CPR classes also cover first aid and AED use.